The power sector employees in Andhra Pradesh are eagerly waiting for the recommendations of retired IAS officer Manmohan Singh on the Revised Pay Scales (RPS) to be effective from April 1, 2022.
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Mr. Singh is heading the one-member Pay Revision Commission (PRC) which is constituted every four years. He is mandated to submit a report to the government by August 7.
The term of the previous PRC expired on March 31, 2022. A team of officials led by AP-Transco Joint Managing Director (Human Resources & Administration) I. Prudhvi Tej and Directors (Finance) of the power utilities is assisting Mr. Singh in formulating the RPS.
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Initially, the State government wanted to revise the salaries in tune with the Central Pay Commission’s recommendations, which will be once in a decade, but had given it up due to stiff resistance from the employees.
Andhra Pradesh State Power Employees’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) convener B. Sai Krishna told The Hindu that the employees’ main demands are fixing of a single master scale, 45% fitment hike, an unlimited medical policy and pensions to employees on par with the that being drawn by government employees who joined the service between February 1, 1999 and August 31, 2004.
Retirement age
Besides, the employees wish to have 62 years as the age for superannuation. The retirement age has been increased by the government to 62 years recently, but it is not yet made applicable to corporations among some other institutions.
The employees now have two scales—one for non-workmen (sub-engineer to chief engineer and junior accounts officer to deputy chief controlling accounts officer) and the other for workmen (O&M staff).
Last but not the least is the demand for direct payment of wages to contract labourers instead of through some agencies.